Veterans

Our Veterans Reunited programme has brought generations together to learn and commemorate the Second World War. Through our evaluations we have seen what has been successful and why. Here, we share our learning with you.

What worked?

Asking people to develop their own ways of bringing generations together helped communities respond to local needs, talents and circumstances.

Active learning experiences developed new skills for participants. These included plays, archaeological excavations, poetry and using digital technology.

Using different types of activity helped engage more young people in learning.

Bringing lots of different people together increases understanding of diversity.

It is useful to consult key government departments, sector stakeholders and other Lottery distributors in the early stages of programme development. It helps the programme link into appropriate organisations and networks.

Learning outcomes can be increased by embracing enjoyment and creativity. Using different innovative methods for education can be particularly effective.

Creating publications and websites can help prolong the life of programme outcomes.

Challenges

Identifying challenges is a valuable aspect of programme evaluations. Through our Veterans Reunited evaluation we have seen that:

sufficient time needs to be allocated to building partnerships

time also needs to be allocated for raising awareness of programme opportunities.